Telling the Truth
by WeasleyLover23
Summary: Ron loves Hermione. Hermione loves Ron. Will they ever find the courage to tell each other the truth? Will her parents' divorce scare Hermione off of a relationship? My first fic. Pairings: RWHG HPGW. Rated PG13 to be safe. CHAPTER EIGHT FINALLY UP!
1. Chapter One

Telling the Truth 

A/N: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter One

A red-haired boy lay thinking in the grass outside a house that looked as though it were held up by magic. Ron sighed. It seemed impossible that Hermione would ever like him. Why would she, the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, want him, the poor, ugly, stupid git that he thought he was? She was far too good for him.

On the other side of the country, Hermione sat in her room reading. Or at least pretending to read. Her eyes scanned the page, but she took in nothing. Her mind was on a particular boy, a freckled, red-haired, blue-eyed boy. She groaned quietly in despair, knowing that Ron would never like her as anything more than a friend. He was handsome, funny, and brave; why would he want her, the bushy-haired bookworm that she thought she was? He was far too good for her.

A few weeks later, Ron arrived at King's Cross station in London to catch the Hogwarts Express, as he had every year since he was eleven, ready to enter his final year. He looked around for a sign of his two friends and saw them talking to Ginny, his little sister. Harry, Ron's best friend in the world, was giving Ginny a hug, and, Ron noted, held on for a little longer than was necessary. His focus quickly shifted to Hermione. His jaw dropped. She was gorgeous. She had developed some curves over the summer and her eyes were a deep chocolate brown. Her hair was silkier and wavier, and she had pulled part of it up with a pretty blue butterfly clip. She looked amazing.

Hermione's POV

I looked behind me where Ginny was pointing and saw Ron, the most handsome boy at Hogwarts, walking over confidently, his red hair flaming in the sunlight. His eyes shone a captivating blue and he had grown another several inches.

He greeted Harry and Ginny, and when he turned to me, I stared into his piercing blue eyes and knew that my feelings went far beyond a crush. I was in love with Ron Weasley.

Ron's POV

I said hello to Harry and Ginny, who quietly slipped away, and turned to Hermione. She looked up at me, her chocolate eyes dancing and a smile on her face. I knew my feelings went far beyond a crush. I was in love with Hermione Granger.

Normal POV

Hermione looked up at Ron.

"Hello, Ron. Have a good holiday?" she said.

"Er...yeah, I 'spose." Ron hadn't really been listening; he was too busy staring at her. "And you?"

"Boring, actually. Nothing interesting at all."

Ron noticed that Hermione didn't quite meet his eyes as she spoke. "Oh, bloody hell-"

"Ron, how many times must I tell you-"

"Yeah I know don't curse. Hermione, you could've come to visit us, you know."

Hermione blushed. "I wanted to, but you didn't ask... and– my parents were getting a divorce and I had to be there for them." She said it all very fast, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Oh.... Hermione, I'm so sorry," Ginny said. She had come back and overheard Hermione's comment, and dragged Hermione away, tears still streaming down her face.

Ron mentally kicked himself. He'd had to tell her that she could've come for the summer. Now she'd think he was an even bigger git for not writing to her to ask, let alone writing at all. Harry poked his head out from a compartment window.

"Ron, mate, hurry up, the train's about to leave!"

Ron looked at his watch and cursed as he heaved his trunk onboard the scarlet Hogwarts Express.

Hermione's POV

"Yeah I know don't curse. Hermione, you could've come to visit us, you know," Ron said.

I looked at my feet. "I wanted to, but you didn't ask... and– my parents were getting a divorce and I had to be there for them." My eyes brimmed with unwanted and unbidden tears. I stared up at his face, into his piercing blue eyes, and for a moment, I saw something in them.

"Oh.... Hermione, I'm so sorry," Ginny had returned and overheard the last part of my conversation with Ron. She pulled me away from him, offering any sympathetic words she could come up with, but I wasn't listening. My thoughts were on that strange something that had appeared in Ron's eyes, and I wondered what it was....

"Ooooh, here's our compartment, Hermione," Ginny squealed, jerking me back into reality.

I looked in and saw Harry and Ron sitting in the compartment with a huge mound of sweets between them. Ron looked up and I raised an eyebrow.

"Hungry, are we?"

"Yeah, starving. Here, Hermione, have a frog."

He tossed a Chocolate Frog at me and grinned his adorable lopsided grin that made my heart melt.

We spent the rest of the train ride talking, eating, laughing, and sitting in comfortable silence. Finally we felt the train slowing to a stop. We got off and stood on the platform in Hogsmeade, shivering. I looked over at the seemingly horseless carriages that would take us up to the school and finally spotted an empty one.

"Come on, hurry, let's get that carriage before someone else does!" I said.

Normal POV

The carriages rattled up the road and Ron looked over at his little sister. She was snuggled up against Harry, who had his arm around her. He shuddered mentally; he still wasn't used to Harry and Ginny dating.

His gaze shifted to rest on Hermione. She sat reading, as usual, and Ron wished that she were cuddled up with him instead. He sighed and thought, 'She'll never like me.'


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.

A few hours later, Ron, Harry, and Hermione marched up to the Gryffindor common room, their stomachs full to bursting. Dumbledore had given his usual speech, and he had reintroduced Professor Lupin as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, much to the trio's delight.

Hermione said goodnight and went up to bed. Ron collapsed in one of the squashy armchairs and sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Harry came over and plopped down in one of the other chairs. "Ron, mate, you need to tell Hermione-"

"I need to tell her what?" Ron said, panicking. How much did Harry know? He made a mental note to kill Ginny the next time he saw her.

"Oh, Ron, come off it, you know what I mean. Everyone knows you like her!"

"No I don't-"

"Ron, you do. You need to tell her. She needs you now."

"What? What d'you mean she needs me?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Her parents got divorced, and it's really hard on her. She needs someone to be there for her!"

"Oh..." Ron said, feeling extremely stupid.

Neither of them saw the redheaded girl behind them sneak off toward the girls dorm.

Hermione's POV

I ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitories and threw myself onto my bed. Tears rolled down my face as I lay there, thinking about how my parents' divorce had torn me apart.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I sat up, startled. "Come in," I said.

Ginny Weasley came bursting in and sat down on my bed.

"Hermione, you'll never guess what I just heard..."


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

A/N: I don't own Harry Potter...bla bla bla you know the drill.

A/N: THANK YOU ILIVE4CAKE00!!!! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS REVIEWED MY STORY AND YOURS WAS HAPPY YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!! Read and review review review people!

Hermione's POV

"What Ginny? What is it?" I asked.

"I'm not sure I should tell you...."

"Ginny, do you want me to hex you?"

"All right, all right...I know how you feel about Ron and-"

"What do you mean, you know how I feel about Ron?" I asked. My heart was in my throat; how much did Ginny know, I wondered. I made a mental note to kill Harry the next time I saw him.

"Oh, Hermione, admit it. You like him-"

"I do not-"

"Yes, you do. Do you want me to tell you what I heard or not?"

"Fine. Tell me," I said.

"Ron loves you."

I sat there, shocked. Ron loved me? It was impossible. He couldn't love me; he was my best friend! _But you love him, _I thought_, and he's your best friend. _

"...he wants to help you now, Hermione. He'd do anything for you," Ginny was saying.

I felt a tear run down my cheek and I wiped it away. I wouldn't believe it, couldn't believe it. I had to hear it from him. The problem would be telling him that I loved him too.

Normal POV

Ron sat there feeling very stupid, only half listening to Harry's advice on what to say to Hermione.

"...and don't worry mate, there's no way she'll say no, she likes you too, you know-"Harry stopped suddenly.

Ron sat up straight in his chair. Had he heard what he thought he'd heard?

"Harry, what did you say?"

"Um...Ron, I'm really not the person to tell you..."

"Harry, tell me now or I will never let you see Ginny again."

Harry gulped. Ron had made the ultimate threat. He had to tell, whether he'd been sworn to secrecy or not.

"It's just...Hermione loves you and she always has but she doesn't have the courage to tell you, so..."

Ron's brain was reeling; Hermione loved him? It was impossible...or was it? He'd seen her looking at him with a strange look in her eyes...and hadn't she said that she'd wanted to stay over the summer?

"Well...um...I guess I'll just go to bed then," Harry said as he retreated up the staircase to the dormitory.

Ron sat there for a long time, gazing into the fire. Finally he made his mind up; he had to hear it from Hermione. With that thought in his mind, he went up the stairs to the

dormitory, grabbed a quill and parchment out of his bag, and set off towards the owlery.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

A/N: I don't own Harry Potter, bla bla bla you know the drill. Thanks to my AWESOME REVIEWERS!!!!! I felt so special when I saw that I had 2 happy reviews so THANK YOU!!!!! Here's another chapter!

Ron sat on the floor of the owlery, thinking about what his letter should say. Finally he made up his mind, scribbled it down, and tied it to Pig's (Pig was his owl) leg and sent him off. With a determined look on his face, he went to the Room of Requirement to wait.

Hemione's POV

After a few minutes, Ginny had fled and I was left to think over her words about Ron.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Ginny, what now???"

I walked over to the door, opened it, saw that nobody was there, closed it, and realized that Pig was tapping on my window. I ran over and threw the window open and pulled the letter off of Pig's leg. He hooted excitedly and flew off into the night.

I opened the letter and read.

_Hermione, we need to talk. Meet me in the room of requirement at 8:00 tonight. _

_-Ron_

I looked at my watch and realized that it was 7:55! I quickly checked my hair and fixed my make-up before I hurried off to the Room of Requirement, wondering what on earth Ron wanted to talk about.

I was so busy thinking that I didn't see the person a few feet in front of me and I ran into them hard.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry...." I trailed off, seeing who it was.

"Granger, you'd better watch where you're going," Malfoy leered at me. "Next time I may not be so nice about it." He turned and strode off down the corridor and, to my horror, opened the door to the Room of Requirement. I sprinted after him, and wrenched open the door, but it was too late...

Ron's POV

I sat in the Room of Requirement alone waiting for Hermione. The doorknob turned, and I jumped up, and saw not Hermione coming in, but Draco Malfoy.

"Weasel King," Malfoy sneered. "What are you doing here? Waiting for the mudblood, are we?"

I saw Hermione come sprinting in, her hair wild and messy, face red, and panting.

"Shut it, Malfoy," I said through gritted teeth.

"I can't say I think much of your taste, but I suppose that for a Weasel King, it's fitting-"

I threw myself at him, but before I could pound him into a pulp, there was a shrill cry of "Immobulis!" followed by "Silencio!" and before I knew it, Hermione had kicked Malfoy out the door and had placed a silencing charm on the room.

She turned to me, hair still wild and panting, and said, "So...what did you want to talk about?"

I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for what I was about to do. I took three purposeful strides towards her, pulled her to me, and kissed her.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

A/N: I don't own Harry Potter, you all know the drill.

Hermione's POV

Ron took three steps towards me and before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me. My heart leaped into my throat and I pulled away.

"Ron, what...what was..." I stammered, trembling in his arms.

He put a finger on my lips and said, "I love you, Hermione. I always have." His clear blue eyes had that strange something in them again...that something I hadn't been able to place until that moment. It was love, pure love.

I didn't know what to do. I loved him more than anything, and I wanted to tell him I loved him. At the same time, I was terrified. I didn't want a relationship with Ron to end badly. I didn't want to get hurt. So I ran.

Ron's POV

I stood there watching Hermione run away from me. I cursed and kicked myself mentally. How could I have been so stupid? Of course she wouldn't love me. Harry was wrong; she would never love me.

I set off for the common room, with my heart in pieces on the floor (A/N: really corny I know but w/e lol). I had tried to tell her the truth and ended up scaring her away. It would never be the same between us.

Hermione's POV

I threw myself onto my bed, sobbing. Ron kissed me, and what did I do? I ran away. I mentally kicked myself repeatedly. Now Ron would never know how I felt. I remembered a line from my favorite movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, "If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it." It had been the opportune moment and I had let it slip by. Things would never be the same between us.

Normal POV

Ron clambered in through the portrait hole, walked up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, and collapsed on his bed, rubbing his forehead.

"So how'd it go, mate?"

Ron sat up straight and looked around. Harry was grinning at him from his four-poster.

"How did what go?"

"Ron, mate, you know what I mean. You told Hermione, didn't you?"

Ron groaned. "Oh, bloody hell, Harry. I told her. And you know what she did?"

"Snogged the hell out of both of you?"

"She ran."

Harry's eyes widened. "She what?"

"She ran, alright?" Ron glared furiously at Harry. "I kissed her and she ran."

Harry didn't say anything. Instead he grabbed his robes, yanked them on over his pajamas and walked off down the stairs, leaving Ron to wallow in his misery.

Harry's POV

I couldn't believe it. There was no way Hermione ran. After six years of telling me about how she was so in love with Ron, there was just no way. I levitated myself up the stairs to the girls' dormitory and knocked on Hermione's door. I had to set them straight.

Hermione's POV

I was thrown back into reality for the second time that day by a sharp knock on the door. "Who is it?" I called.

"It's Harry. Open the door, Hermione."

I stood up, wiped the tears off my face, and opened the door. Harry walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Hermione, what happened?" he asked.

I felt another tear run down my cheek. "Harry...Ron...Ron kissed me. And I ran. I ran from him, Harry! I didn't know what to do! I love him, I know I do, but...but I'm scared, Harry..."

"Scared of what, Hermione?" asked Harry gently.

More tears rolled down my cheeks. "Of...of ending up like my parents...of getting hurt..." I said.

Harry reached over and hugged me, and I cried and cried, while he held me.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

A/N: If I owned Harry Potter, I'd definitely say so, but I don't so I can't. To all my lovely reviewers, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

Hermione's POV

For the second time in ten minutes, I heard knocking on the door. I was about to get up and open the door when Ron came bursting in. He stared disbelievingly at me (I still hanging onto Harry). For a moment he spluttered angrily, trying to speak, but appeared to decide that it wasn't worth the effort. He turned and strode out, his ears as red as his hair.

Ron's POV

I couldn't believe it. Everything Harry had said had been a lie. Hermione loved Harry, that was why she'd freaked out. She didn't love me at all.

Normal POV

When Harry came up to bed a few minutes later, Ron was already there. His ears were redder than Harry had ever seen them.

"So she loves me, does she Harry?" Ron said furiously.

"Ron, you've got it all wrong-"

Ron turned away and pulled the curtains around his four-poster. It was an incredibly clear message that the conversation was over.

The next day dawned cloudy and cold. Ron was already dressed when Harry woke up. Harry made another attempt to speak to him, but Ron strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Ron made his way down the stairs to the common room, and he saw Hermione curled up in a chair staring at the fire. He decided to get a little closer to see what she was doing. She was crying. Suddenly Ron felt all his anger melting away, and he said, "I'm sorry. I hope it works out between you and Harry."

Hermione whipped around, frantically trying to wipe away her tears. She saw Ron, and the tears started to fall again. Through her tears she managed to say, "Ron, there isn't anything between Harry and me."

"Then what was he doing in your room last night, huh?" Ron felt his anger slowly returning, and he did his best to keep his voice calm.

"Ron, Harry was there because he was trying to help!"

"Help with what????"

Hermione turned back to the fire and murmured something unintelligible.

"What?" Ron said.

Hermione took a deep breath. "He was trying to help me understand what you said last night..."

"I thought it was pretty damn clear-"

"Ron, will you listen for a minute please? Harry was trying to help me understand what you said last night. It didn't sink in because I'm afraid-"

"Afraid of WHAT?"

Hermione didn't answer. She turned back to the fire again, the tears falling faster.

Ron forced himself to calm down. He walked over and knelt in front of her.

"I meant what I said last night, 'Mione. Every word. I love you."

"I know, Ron." Hermione made up her mind to tell him. "I-"

"Ron, I need to talk to you," Harry said. He had found them.

"NOT NOW, HARRY!" Ron turned back to Hermione. "What were you saying?"

"I...I..."

Suddenly all Hermione's courage vanished and for the second time in 24 hours, she ran.

A/N: Yes, sad, I know. It will get better, I promise. For now, this will have to do.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

A/N: If I owned Harry Potter, you'd know it. To all my lovely reviewers, you are the most awesome people on this planet! –Gives virtual hug- Enjoy this chapter, sorry it's kinda short, but remember, this is my first FanFic, so bear with me here.

"Thanks a lot, Harry!" Ron shouted. "She was finally about to tell me what was going on, and you bloody ruined it!" He whirled around and ran upstairs to the dormitory, where he grabbed a bag of floo powder. He ran back down to the common room, tossed some in the fire, and shouted, "The Burrow!"

Ron had never liked floo powder. It made him dizzy and sick, but it was fast and convenient. And right now, he needed to talk to the family experts on women: the twins, Fred and George. Fortunately, they were sitting at the kitchen table when Ron came spinning out of the fireplace.

"Hey Ronniekins!" the twins chorused, identical evil grins on their faces.

Ron gritted his teeth and ignored the comment. "I have to talk to you," Ron said. "It's about-"

"A certain brunette with brown eyes who you have been drooling over since first year?" Fred finished for him, still grinning like a maniac. "Took you bloody long enough to ask, Ron!"

Ron's ears turned a dangerous shade of red, matching if not surpassing the color of his hair. "Well, now that you mention it," he said, forcing himself to remain calm, "it is about her. I – I've liked her as...more than a friend since first year. And I finally told her, because Harry said she had feelings for me, which she apparently doesn't, because when I told her, I kissed her, and she ran away! Then when I'm talking to her about it, she starts to tell me something, and Harry – bloody git- barges in on us and she runs away again, and now I don't know what to do or what to think and since you two know everything there is to know about women, I thought I'd ask you." Ron was now red not only on his ears but everywhere else as well.

Fred leaned back and said, "Ron, you are such a prat! Bloody hell, Ron, she's liked you since your third year!"

Unable to speak, Ron spluttered in utter confusion.

George sighed, "Ron, do you remember what she told you happened last summer?"

"'Course I do-"

"Her parents just got a divorce, right? Well the way I see it, she's fighting with herself over her feelings. She really wants to be with you, but she's terrified at the same time-"

"Terrified of what?"

"Ron, shut up and let me finish. She's terrified of ending up like her parents. She doesn't want to get hurt."

Ron stood there processing what George had just told him. She was afraid...suddenly all the things that had happened made sense: why she had run away, why she was crying after he yelled at her, and the first day on platform 9 3/4...

"What do I do?" Ron asked.

Hermione was sobbing again. How could this be happening to her? She loved Ron so much, why couldn't she just tell him? Because you're afraid, a small voice said from the back of her mind. All you have to do is get over that fear. Hermione sat up and dried her tears. She couldn't face Ron looking like she did, with her eyes all puffy and red from crying. With a quick flick of her wand, she got rid of the puffiness and the color returned to normal. Taking a deep breath, she made her way back down to the common room. Ron was sitting in the chair she had sat in only an hour before.

"Ron..."

"Hermione, you don't have to say anything," Ron said. "I know."

"You know what?" Hermione felt her heart racing in her chest; it was beating so loudly she was sure someone would hear it any second.

"I know what you meant when you said you were afraid. And I want you to know, Hermione, I love you, and I would never, ever hurt you. Never." With that he walked over to her and pulled her against him in a very tight hug. Suddenly Hermione's courage came rushing back to her, and she leaned up and kissed him.

When they broke apart, she said, "I love you, Ron. I love you."

He smiled the adorable lopsided smile that made her heart melt and kissed her again, and for just a second, Hermione felt the world around her fade away, leaving only the complete perfection of the kiss.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

A/N: If Harry Potter were mine, you'd know it, but alas, he isn't. To the people who reviewed my story, sorry for having such short chapters, I am sorry but I find it very difficult to write long chapters. I prefer to keep them short and to the point. Thanks for letting me know how much you liked it; I appreciate the praise, especially since I am currently failing math –mutters darkly about how math should die a very painful death along with Harry/Hermione stories-. The point is you are all awesome! –Gives virtual hug- Love you all! Enjoy the chapter!

A few weeks later, Ron still couldn't believe his luck. He had kissed the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, and she had agreed to be his girlfriend. It seemed almost unreal, and the only thing that kept Ron from believing that it had been a dream was the way Hermione smiled at him, a smile full of warmth and love.

In the midst of lessons and a lot of snogging, the time flew by. On September 19, Ron woke and realized that it was a very important day: Hermione's birthday. He began searching frantically for the gift he had gotten her a few days before. At last he found it nestled in a corner in the bottom of his trunk, and he stuffed it in his pocket as he dressed hurriedly. Ron grabbed his bag and ran down to the common room, where he found Hermione in the same armchair he had been sitting in a few weeks before, the night that they kissed. He snuck up behind her and covered her eyes.

"Guess who."

Hermione giggled and pushed his hands off.

"Happy Birthday, love," Ron said. There was a gleam in her eyes that could only have meant pure happiness.

She giggled again and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. After a minute he broke the kiss and took her hand, and together they went down to breakfast.

The rest of the day passed without incident until 6:00, when tapping on the window shook Hermione out of the trance that she always went into while studying. It was Pigwidgeon. Hermione practically leapt off her bed to throw open the window, grab the tiny owl, tear the letter of its leg, and throw it back out into the night. She threw herself back down on the bed and opened the letter.

My 'Mione,

Meet me in the common room at 6:30. I have something special for you.

Love,

Ron

She grinned at Ron's untidy scrawl and glanced at her watch. It was 6:05. She grinned again. That was enough time to...clean up a little...

Half an hour later, Hermione made her way down the stairs and saw Ron sitting in their special armchair staring into the fire. She came over sat in his lap.

"Hello, love." Ron said.

Hermione only giggled.

Ron reached into his pocket, pulled out a long black box and handed it to her. She opened it and gasped. Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. It was a gold heart locket. She opened it and saw on one side a picture of Ron and herself, smiling at each other and waving.

She looked up into Ron's face. Unable to think of anything appropriate to say, she kissed him. After a moment he pulled away and said, "Look on the other side, love."

Hermione looked. A tiny inscription read, "I'll love you forever, my 'Mione." Once again speechless, she kissed him again and he pulled her closer.

"I mean it, Hermione. I've finally got you and I will never, ever let you go," he said. And they kissed again.


End file.
